Our vision is for a robust hospital and health service that includes fit-for-purpose spaces, multi-disciplinary health services, research, education and community partnerships.
West Moreton has the highest population growth in Queensland with the population across Somerset, Scenic Rim, Lockyer Valley and Ipswich expected to increase to 636,000 by 2046.
As the West Moreton community expands, we are committed to transforming and optimising our care through service redesign, research and innovation to continue to meet the healthcare needs of our growing and diverse community.
West Moreton Health has developed a staged approach to delivering new infrastructure, services and models of care in a co-design partnership with our staff, community and other healthcare providers.
Changes to expect during our expansion
The Department of Health is leading several major construction projects in the fast-growing West Moreton region to increase access to quality healthcare.
There’s a lot happening, especially around the Ipswich Hospital campus, which means you may experience some disruption from time to time.
This can be frustrating, but what it signals is that your healthcare is improving.
Information about any changes to the built environment is below.
Closure of Churchill Street bus stop
From 15 April 2024
Bus stop 310074 Ipswich Hospital, Stop B, has closed to allow work on Churchill Street. Bus passengers are encouraged to use bus stop 310566, located approximately 240 meters to the north. This redirection will ensure that everyone can still access public transportation conveniently. Please factor in the extra time you may need due to this change when planning your visit to Ipswich Hospital.
When: From Monday 15 April.
Closed stop: Ipswich Hospital, Stop B (Stop ID 310074).
Open stop: East St at South Street (Stop ID 310566) approximately 240m away.
Affected routes: 509, 515, 5217, 5238, 5239, and 6254.
Changes to Churchill Street
From April 2024
From April, construction activities will be taking place on Churchill Street. These activities are essential to ensure that future construction works can proceed safely and with minimal disruption.
The following changes will apply:
- Closure of bus stop bus stop 310074. Bus stop 310566 (on East Street) can be used as an alternative.
- Parking bays on the Ipswich Hospital side of the street will close and meters will be removed.
- Footpath on the hospital side of the street will close. Pedestrians will be redirected to the opposite side of Churchill Street
- Installation of fencing around construction site.
- Concrete barriers and screening will be installed on the Ipswich Hospital side of Churchill Street.
Early works on Chelmsford Avenue
From March 2024
Early works are underway on the lower section of Chelmsford Avenue (from Kallara Avenue down on both sides). Changes to the built environment include:
- footpath closure on lower Chelmsford Avenue south (opposite side to hospital)
- construction of a new footpath on lower Chelmsford Avenue south
- footpath closure on lower Chelmsford Avenue north (hospital side)
- trimming of trees on Chelmsford Avenue south
- realignment of traffic lanes and new line markings
- installation of concrete barriers and privacy screens along construction site
- removal of metered parking bays on lower Chelmsford Avenue.
Thank you
These activities are important to ensure that future construction can occur safely and with minimal disruption to hospital staff and patients.
We thank you for your patience and understanding as we take these steps now for our future growth.
Enquiries to WM_Construction_Info@health.qld.gov.au
The Ipswich Hospital Expansion Stage 2 will deliver a purpose-built, multi-storey acute services building on the Ipswich Hospital campus. This facility will provide a new and expanded emergency department, 200 additional beds, new operating theatres, and other services.
The building is expected to be completed by late 2027. An artist's impression of the new building is below.
A new residential rehabilitation and withdrawal service will be built in Ipswich to help people get support for problematic alcohol and other drug use.
The new service will be located at 47-57 Wildey St, Raceview. It will provide live-in treatment and support for people in the West Moreton region. The new service will be able to treat up to 46 people. It will include:
- live-in accommodation and residential rehabilitation for up to 36 people
- a 10 bed withdrawal unit
- single level buildings including reception for clients and visitors
- office space and an overnight room for staff
- parking for up to 30 cars and ambulance access
- a treatment program area for rehabilitation clients
- kitchen, dining and laundry facilities
- indoor and outdoor spaces for recreation, program activities and cultural care.
Read more here.
The Ripley Satellite Hospital, located at 150 Botany Drive, South Ripley, opened on 30 August 2023.
It features a Minor Injury and Illness Clinic, outpatient medical services, and nursing and allied health services.
The Ripley Satellite Hospital has been co-named Moodoombar Dabbil, which means 'Good Water' in Yuggera language and symbolises health, healing, wellness and care.
To find out more, visit the Ripley Satellite Hospital page.
The Mental Health Acute Inpatient Service on Chelmsford Ave provides a fit-for-purpose environment for the delivery of person-centred, contemporary models of mental health care.
Designed to reflect a residential environment, this purpose-built unit gives consumers access to internal courtyards, gardens and outdoor areas, and multiple barbecue areas for families, to support their recovery and wellbeing.
We have partnered with health consumers, carers and expert clinicians to ensure the unit provides a safe space to improve wellbeing.
The Mental Health Acute Inpatient Service opened in November 2023.
The first stage of the Ipswich Hospital Expansion was completed in early 2024.
Stage 1 projects included:
- an expansion of Ipswich Hospital that created:
- a 26-bed medical and surgical ward
- an allied health outpatient unit
- an oncology day unit
- the new Mental Health Acute Inpatient Service on Chelmsford Ave
- a state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suite at Ipswich Hospital
- purchase of buildings and land in South St, Ipswich, for later development
- demolition of the former mental health unit.
West Moreton Health is working towards increasing our capacity to deliver more complex specialist care to the community. This will allow consumers to be treated closer to home instead of travelling outside the region for essential healthcare. Currently, one in three consumers are treated elsewhere.
West Moreton Health is committed to developing health precincts that meet consumers’ needs, using technology and innovation to provide services more efficiently and sustainably. This means doing things differently in the future.
In the short, medium and long term, we are working to identify the mix of infrastructure, services and digital solutions West Moreton Health will need to meet future demand in acute, non-acute, outpatient and community health settings.
West Moreton Health is committed to engaging regularly with people and businesses interested in the design and delivery of our capital works program.
To get involved, register an expression of interest as a consumer representative, ask a question or give feedback, please email WMCommunications@health.qld.gov.au, phone (07) 3810 1111 or write to West Moreton Health Communications, PO Box 73, Ipswich QLD 4305.
Follow the latest updates on the West Moreton Health Facebook page, LinkedIn site or at www.westmoreton.health.qld.gov.au/news.